Village Roadshow to build a $550 million Hainan R&F Ocean Paradise

Village Roadshow will provide Sea World-type thrills to China under a $550m deal with Guangzhou R&F Properties. Source: News Limited

VILLAGE Roadshow has expanded its theme park business into China through a deal with Guangzhou R&F Properties to build a $550 million version of Gold Coast theme park Sea World on Hainan Island.

Hainan R&F Ocean Paradise will be a destination theme park focusing on marine animal attractions, and also include a world class water park like VRL’s Wet ‘n’ Wild on the Gold Coast and Sydney Wet ‘n’ Wild, which is currently under construction.

Village Roadshow will be the lead consultant in the team to develop the park. Village will also be the exclusive operator of both Hainan R&F Ocean Paradise and Hainan Wet ‘n Wild.

Village executive chairman Robert Kirby is in China today to formally sign the deal, which has been two years in the making.

He said the deal represented a significant reward and recognition of Village Roadshow Theme Parks’ branding and world class capabilities.

"We look forward to working closely with R&F, who are one of China’s leading property developers, to deliver a world class destination theme park to the people of Hainan Island, its many tourists and of course all of China," he said.

Guangzhou R&F Properties chairman, Li Sze Lim, said that Village Roadshow’s “demonstrated capabilities in theme parks, combined with their commitment to this project and to China, gives us every confidence that together we will deliver a truly wonderful theme park experience to the millions of tourists and residents”.

Hainan is located in the South China Sea, off Guangdong’s Leizhou Peninsula.